Shadows of the Past
by BML Hillen-Keene
Summary: A fathers pain as his youngest child is kidnapped by a man he had thought to be in prison. Thranduil, Legolas, Elrond.


_Disclaimer:don't own._

_Yet another Thranduil story. What would a father do if hs youngest and most precious son was kidnapped by a man Thranduil thought was on prison._

_**Shadows of the Past**_

Principal Elrond Evenstar of Rivendell boarding school sat in his office at the end of August, on a day that could well have come in the middle of winter, raining and miserable.

Rivendell was as much an orphanage as a school, and Elrond was like a father to them all, feeling a lot of love for them, as his late wife-God rest her soul- had been an orphan in her time.

He sat in his office, watching seven of his students, only two of which were orphans, Strider (as called by his friends) and Gimli, the others, Frodo, Merry, Merry's cousin Pippin, Boromir and Sam, lived very close by, and spent as much time herein the Summer as they did during the school year.

The phone on his desk rang, he picked it up. "Rivendell boarding school, Principal Elrond Evenstar speaking." He intoned, wondering if he sounded like a machine, he hated to sound like that.

"Elrond."

Elrond relaxed back into his seat. "Thranduil, lovely to here from you, anything I can do?"

"Elrond, I want my son's name erased from your school's databanks."

"What!?" Elrond exclaimed, leaning forward. "Why?"

"Does it matter why? I just want it done, he will not be returning to your school."

"That's cold Thranduil," Elrond said, looking down at the seven boys playing football in the rain. "He's just settled down; you know how hard it can be to switch from private tutoring to mainstream."

"I feel he would be better off at home."

"You're not telling me everything." Elrond guessed. "He's made friends, they'll be sad to see him go, and you know as well as I do that he won't be happy about it."

"I don't care Elrond, my son will be safer at home than at your school, and if you do not wipe his name I will have someone else do it."

Elrond sighed, it was useless to argue with Thranduil, he was a man used to getting what he wanted, he was by no means a demanding man, though at times his natural authority came very close. "Alright, consider it done my friend" he said.

"Thank you Elrond."

Elrond heard the relief in his voice as he said those three words, and he wondered at what might be the problem. They made their goodbyes and hung up. Elrond once again looked outside, oh the joys of life, to tell someone's close friends that he wasn't coming back again. 

Thranduil Greenleaf was the owner of Mirkwood Industries, the largest company worldwide, and though he could successfully run the company, manage to fend off people who were pressuring him to sell, understand all the mechanics of industry and business.

He could do and understand all this, yet he could never figure out the workings of a teenage mind, he was prepared for shouts, curses, a lot of slamming doors and stomping around, as tended to happen when Maeta, Estil and Juani were teenagers.

But Legolas was the mildest of the four, he did not storm out, or shout about how much he wished his father was dead as did most, if not all children at some point in their life. He simply fell silent, bright hazel eyes darkening and filling with tears that he refused to shed before his father.

The silence chilled Thranduil's heart to its very core. He didn't stop Legolas to try and explain why he would not be returning to the school, he watched as his fair haired son left, going to his room to make plans. 

Elrond gathered Legolas's friends together and told them that he would not be returning to school, that he was transferring to a private school. It saddened them to think that he was gone. It was the main topic of conversation, the name Legolas would echo round the near empty corridors of the school and dormitory.

Elrond knew, that in the ways of all boys, they would soon forget Legolas, and he began to hope that they would not; he had a feeling that sometime in the future Legolas was going to need all the friends he had.

The semester began, and Elrond had cause for concern when on the first day of class's three of his students had missed the whole day, he knew for a fact that they had signed in, two of them were there pretty much permanently, Gimli and Strider, the third was little Pippin, who was only starting his second year in the school.

He checked in their rooms, none of the beds had been slept in and their roommates had not seen them, and Merry was running around asking for Pippin, but no one had seen the three boys.

Elrond made several calls to the police and finally they had arrived, and just after them came Thranduil, whom he had spoken to but not seen since he had enrolled Legolas in the school.

The business man approached Elrond, wringing his hands together worriedly "Elrond, have you seen my Legolas? Did he come here?"

Elrond shook his head. "No and three of my students are missing." Suddenly a light dawned in him and he added. "They were all Legolas's friends."

"Something's happened, I just know it!" the distraught father cried.

Elrond put an arm around his shoulders. "Come and talk to the police, they'll be found, don't you worry." he soothed, leading him inside the building.

They gave the officer descriptions of the four boys, the officer recognized Thranduil Greenleaf, and knew that a kidnapping was probably the most likely, the other three boys were just caught in the middle.

"Has anything like this ever happened before, sir?" the officer asked. Thranduil shook his head, but a dark memory clouded his usually clear green eyes. "Something else?" the man asked, he had children of his own, he could relate.

Thranduil took a deep breath and said softly. "I don't know if this is relevant, and I hope to God that it's not, but, my son, Legolas, was raped when he was nine by Suruman Istari's son."

Elrond was taken aback and shocked, he had never heard any of this, Legolas had never shown sign's of a troubled past, and Elrond was trained to read all the signs.

"Would this be Suron Istari by any chance?" the officer asked.

Thranduil nodded, becoming anxious.

"Is something wrong officer?" Elrond asked.

"Suron Istari was released from prison two months ago, I'm surprised you were not informed sir." the officer replied.

Thranduil began to shake, whether from anger at not being told, or fear of what might be happening to his son, Elrond could not tell, he soon found out. "Oh God, no!" Thranduil moaned softly. "Please no..." his little boy, his Legolas. "Oh God..."he sobbed. 

Elrond watched Thranduil pace his office, the police had searched the school and grounds, but after finding signs of a struggle, classed it as a definite kidnapping, asking Elrond to ask the other students to come forward with any information.

All they could do was wait for the ransom demand, and to call the police as soon as it arrived.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Elrond asked after a time.

Thranduil stopped pacing and sat down. "Because there was no need, he didn't want anybody to know."

"How did it happen?"

Thranduil looked at his old friend and sighed. "It was two nights after Dianna's funeral, Suruman Istari had been abroad so he was late I coming to offer his condolences, they were staying to dinner, so naturally I introduced Legolas to him, his wife and their son. I didn't notice the interest that Suron was taking in Lee, I guess I was too caught up in my own grief.

"I saw the Istari's off, sent Lee to bed and went out for the night. When I came home I was told that he had been calling for me, so I went up to his room and found the door locked, I knew something was wrong, Legolas never locks his door! So I called his name and heard someone move inside.

"Elrond I swear I almost killed him for it, when I finally got the door open to see him there, in Lee's room! I knew what he had done and I almost throttled him there and then..." Thranduil clenched his teeth, and furiously dashed tears from his eyes.

"That's not all is it?" Elrond prompted.

Thranduil shook his head wearily. "I took them to court, sued and had the little bastard sent to prison! But he said something on the stand that I wish I could forget. I can't remember the question exactly, but he said. "From my point of view it wasn't rape, it was marking and claiming what is mine." If the court guard had been within arms reach I would have had the gun and shot him right there!" Thranduil fumed.

Elrond could never remember his friend ever getting this emotional, but there was something more. "And?"

"Well I didn't kill him, unfortunately, he turned to look directly at me and said "I can't wait to try again." I must have went for him, because the next thing I knew Maeta and Estil were holding me back. Why wasn't I told?!" Thranduil cried.

"We don't know if it's even the Istari boy who has him Thran." Elrond said.

"Don't give me that crap Elrond! I know it's the Istari brat, I've had his father pressing me for months to sell, and how long has he been out for? Long enough to know where he goes to school! Long enough to know I don't have the money to pay a ransom over £15 million! I swear Elrond..." he trailed off.

"He didn't talk to me for months, Elrond, months, it took him ages to trust me enough to touch him. Do you know how hard it is to stand by, watching your son cry through the night and not be able to hold him, to tell him it's all right. It shattered him, totally and utterly, and I swore I wouldn't let anything happen to him ever again." he sighed, his hands twisting in his lap. "I failed miserably didn't I?"

Elronds heart bled for his friend. "No you didn't fail, you couldn't have anticipated this."

"I should have though. He'll never trust me again." Thranduil said glumly.

"He'll be alright if my three are with him, they're very close." Elrond consoled.

"I hope." Thranduil sighed. 

Thranduil arrived home as it was getting dark, he and Elrond had talked for a while after the revelation of Legolas's past. The man was exhausted, he hadn't sat down for any significant amount of time all day, he couldn't, the worry just became too great for him.

the door was opened by Estil, his second eldest. "God dad." he said. "You look how I feel."

Thranduil smiled weakly.

"What happened?"

"Suspected kidnapping." Thranduil swallowed.

Estil frowned. "Dad."

Thranduil shook his head and walked past his son and into the living-room and sat down.

"Dad." Estil repeated, sitting down beside him. He noticed the shake of his fathers shoulders, he became very worried. "Dad what's wrong? Did something happen?"

"Suron Istari was released from prison two months ago." Thranduil whispered.

Estil's eyes widened. "Why weren't we informed?!"

Thranduil shrugged.

"Dad you don't think-" he began.

His father stood. "I hope not. I'm going to bed."

"OK."

As soon as Thranduil left Estil picked up the phone and dialed Maeta's office number and told him. The older brother was as shocked as the others, and immediately got the police on the phone, and in his own soft spoken way- chewed the head off them. 

"Thranduil." Elrond Evenstar said into the receiver. "A package just came to the school, can you come over?" eying the video on the desk and twisting the telephone cord around his fingers.

"Of course! I'll be there in thirty minutes!" Thranduil sounded tired, like he had barely slept.

Elrond could relate to that, he felt weary also, most of the night spent worrying about not one but four of his students. Of course he didn't have the nightmares Thranduil was probably having to plague him throughout the night-time hours, and during the day also.

"Right, see you then." Elrond pressed the hang up button and quickly rang the police, told them, and sat staring at the video, waiting, wondering and worrying.

Five minutes after the police arrived came Thranduil. Classes had not begun, so some of the children hung around, whispering and spreading rumours. Elrond chased them away and took the police and Thranduil up to his office.

He motioned the video on the desk, the elder police man lifted it and put it into the video recorder Elrond had had ready. Elrond sat on the edge of his desk, leaving the chairs free.

"Have you watched this Mr. Evenstar?" the younger police-man asked.

Elrond shook his head and pressed the 'play' button on the remote control.

The tape was fuzzy for about thirty seconds and a picture popped up from nowhere. There was a general gasp of horror and disgust when the assembled group saw Legolas first and foremost on screen. The boy looked frightened and haggard, his head tilted back by a gloved hand pulling on his fair hair.

Thranduil had frozen in his seat, watching his son, he barely heard the demand for £30 million, or what would happen if he didn't pay. The camera focus blurred and a sharper image of the other three boys was seen, it blurred again and focused on Legolas.

The boy said something, softly, but urgently in a language Elrond could faintly recognize, but which the police could not understand. Thranduil's face became white.

The man holding him backhanded him across an already badly bruised cheek. "Please dad." Legolas cried, tears spilling down his face.

In the background Gimli was pulling against another man in an effort to get to his friend.

"You have a week to meet our demands, you will receive further instructions then, to ensure the safe return of these boys."

The picture cut off with a hiss of static.

"Well they're alive at least." the young police-man said.

Elrond touched Thranduil's shoulder. "What did he say my friend?" he asked softly.

"'It's him help me'..." Thranduil whispered.

"Him?" the young police-man said curiously.

"Suron Istari." replied Elrond.

"So he is involved..." the older officer mussed.

Thranduil glared at them. "I could have told you that! I knew he was involved the moment I heard he was out of prison, listen to the court tapes!"

"Right." the older officer said, standing. "I want to ask the prison head a few questions. Come on Bill. Mr. Greenleaf, Mr. Evenstar." he nodded to them and left.

Thranduil shook his head. "I don't have the money, Elrond, the only way I'll get it is by selling the company."

"I'll help in any way I can, but I don't have even a fraction of what their asking." Elrond said.

"I'll sell." Thranduil decided. "He's more important than the company." he dug around in his pocket and pulled out a mobile phone.

"Dad?" came the reply after the first ring.

Thranduil smiled ever so slightly. "Yes Maeta."

"Was it the ransom?"

"Yes."

"How much?"

Thranduil took a deep breath. "£30 million."

"Shit!" Maeta winched. "That's pretty steep."

"Yes." Thranduil agreed. "I want you to put in a reply to Mordor, to the Istari's, tell them we'll sell." He didn't sound at all happy about it.

"What?!" Maeta cried. "Sell?!"

"Yes, sell, I want the money within the week-don't argue Maeta, just do it!"

"All right." Maeta relented.

Thranduil hung up. "There, done. Now we can wait." He took up the remote for the video, rewound it and played it again.

Elrond watched him, even when Diannai had died there had been no tears, but his eyes were shining with them now. he wondered what the police talk would turn up, and if the two officers would actually remember to come back and collect the tape, the thought of the officers almost made him want to smile.

But he couldn't, his lifelong friends worst nightmare had just come to life. He continued to study him.

Maeta paced the office, thinking, he didn't want to call the Istari's, if he did he would break all the rules he had ever set himself. Just thinking about that family made his blood boil, and had done from he was twenty-one and had heard what Suron Istari had done to his brother.

He sat down at his fathers desk, staring intently at the phone wondering. They didn't have the money, they could sell everything of value in the house, but they had nothing that would fetch enough, so he thought, and worried, but could think of nothing.

He picked up the phone and began to dial. 

Thranduil closed the door of his son's room as soon as he got home, he had spent little over an hour at the school before deciding to return home. He had come in quietly, without disturbing the servants and had headed directly for Legolas's room, where he now stood, gazing about him sadly.

He had though all this behind, that he had finally gotten a smiling, happy child back to him. Too long had he suffered the heartbreaking silence, the tears he could not stop, the pain he could not take away.

Thranduil sat at the head of the bed, his eyes resting on the carpet, feeling just as useless now as he had six years ago. The first time. It scared him more in a way, he couldn't stop blaming himself.

It shouldn't have happened! The man grit his teeth, staring now at his hands, lying open in his lap, he could do nothing but wait, something he could not do. His child, his little boy, his Legolas, was in danger, in pain-he could feel it-and needed to be comforted. Comfort that Thranduil could not give in physical form, which was what his son most needed.

"DADDY!!"

Thranduil jerked awake, it was evening, he must have fallen asleep, a far from a pleasant sleep-his dreams plagued by memories, by remembered pain, he raised his hand to wipe his eyes, his fingers came away wet, he had been crying.

He rose from his son's bed and went to the door, he could hear voices talking from downstairs, and wondered briefly if if his third son, Juani had come home.

It was indeed Juani who had joined Maeta and Estil in the living-room. When Thranduil entered, Juani got up from his seat and went to him, hugging him closely.

"I came as soon as I heard dad." he apologized, he had been in Lorothion for any number of months now, training to be a doctor, like his mother.

"I'm glad your here." Thranduil smiled, but the smile vanished almost immediately.

Juani looked at him worriedly. "Dad you look awful, you look as if you haven't slept in days."

"Strange that." Thranduil said softly, "I just woke from sleep not five minutes ago." he sighed. "Has there been any word?"

Maeta shook his head. "No dad, nothing yet."

Thranduil sighed. "I think I'll go and take a lie down."

"You do that dad," Juani smiled softly, "I can get you some sleeping pill's if you want?"

"No, no, it's all right." he left the room. "Allright." he muttered to himself-it was anything but all right!

"That bastard!" Juani fumed when their father had left. "Why the hell did they let him out of prison?!"

Estil sighed. "We've all beaten ourselves up over it Juani, none of us could have stopped it." he stared meaningfully at his brother.

"It shouldn't of happened-not to him." Juani said, flinging himself into a chair.

"It shouldn't have happened to anybody Juani, we can't change it now-we can only hope it doesn't come off like last time." Estil counseled.

"It'll come out worse." Maeta shook his head. "I saw the tape, I stopped over at the station on my way home, he was beyond terrified-he even dropped into Elvish, you know the way he does when something's scared him real bad." he leaned forward, resting his elbow's on his knee's. "It's too much money,we won't get it unless we sell, the only one's offering enough are the Istari's."

"The gall of them!" Juani spluttered.

"They kidnappers gave us a week to get the money-enough time to sell the company." Maeta continued.

"You didn't!" Estil cried, suddenly motivated.

"Dad ordered me too, but I didn't place the call, I couldn't trust myself, so I've tried something else, I have no idea if it'll work or not but it's all I have."

"What?" his brothers asked.

"Not now, I want to see if the money will come first." Maeta answered. "I think I'll follow dad's example and go to bed."

"Goodnight." Juani sighed.

Estil did not answer, but sat thinking. Juani watched him for a few minutes before yawning mightily. "I'll go up too, good-night Estil." he said getting up.

"'Night." Estil mumbled, still thinking.

"You know," Juani said from the door. "The house doesn't feel the same unless we're all here."

"You've noticed that?" Estil asked, surprised.

Juani smiled. "Your not the only one in tune with the world around you big brother-I'll see you in the morning."

Estil nodded and was left alone with his thoughts, his dark twisting thought's, in which his youngest sibling remained constant, like white on black or black on white.

Elrond woke with a start, in the middle of a very unusual dream he had hit on a sudden thought, a horrible thought he wished he could now erase. The kidnappers had Strider, Gimli and Pippin as well as Legolas-which meant that if he wanted them, Suron Istari also had them.

Groaning he rolled over in bed, switching on the bedside lamp he sat up. He rubbed his eyes and sighed. There was light edging the curtains, so it must have been morning, strange, he didn't feel as if he had slept at all. Sighing deeply he got up, it was times like this he wished his wife were still alive. she had always been more capable at handling situations than he was.

Ten minutes later he was hunched over a mug of coffee he wondered what the police had found, if anything, and he wondered how Thranduil and the boys were holding up. And then he was worried again.

He had of course told Pippin's parents, the police had called them up. They were frantic, and very much surprised that their son knew the son of the owner of Mirkwood industries.

The press didn't know about it. Elrond didn't think he could stand it if he read in the morning paper, some made up story about the kidnapping.

Thranduil reached blindly for the phone on his bedside table, found it and picked it up. "Yes?" he asked tiredly, rubbing his eyes.

"Mr. Greenleaf, this is officer Jones, we have something that may be of some interest to you, if we could perhaps stop over in say, an hour?" the officer asked urgently.

"Of course, of course, come right over!" Thranduil said quickly.

"Thank you Mr. Greenleaf."

Thranduil hung up the phone, he considered calling Elrond, and decided against it. He smartened himself up as best he could and went down the stairs to await the police. In the living-room sat Estil and Juani, Maeta was off to the office, finishing something.

"You look a lot better this morning dad." Juani smiled.

Thranduil nodded. "The police have found something."

"About Lee?" Juani cried.

"They didn't say."

"Do you want us to go?" Estil asked quietly.

"No, no, stay please, they'll be here soon. What time is it?" Thranduil asked.

"twenty past ten, dad." Juani replied, looking at his watch.

Thranduil nodded again, and they all resigned themselves to wait, around ten minutes later there was a knock on the door. Estil got up and answered it, and led the two officers into the room. The elder of the two carried a file under his arm.

He shook Thranduils hand and sat in the seat across from him, setting the file on the coffee table. "Mr. Greenleaf, we spoke to the prison head yesterday, unfortunately we had to obtain a warrant to search young Mr. Istari's cell. We found this this morning-we must agree with you that Suron Istari does have something to do with your son's kidnapping."

The officer took a small book from the file and handed it to Thranduil, who opened it, he grimaced slightly at the sight of the untidy scrawl of writing, as he began to read his face became white and his hands began to tremble. He dropped the book after a few pages.

Juani reached down and piced it up, leafing through the pages, reading a little here and a little there. He handed it quickly to Estil, who didn't get halfway through the first paragraph before handing it back to the officer nearest him in disgust. He looked over at Juani, who looked sickened, then at his father, whose face was filled with horror.

"Why did they let him out?!" Juani burst out suddenly.

Officer Jones shook his head. "The authorities didn't know he kept this book, if they had known we would have kept him in."

"He's bloody obsessed!" Juani raged.

"Yes." nodded the officer.

Estil stared thoughtfully at the table, he was really very good at that, being an artist by nature he was very inclined to be thoughtfull. "The date's." he said slowly.

"Yes the dates." Officer Jones said. "From those we gather that he had been- admiring-your son for weeks before he first met him-"

"So he was stalking him you mean!" Juani demanded.

"Well yes I suppose he was."

"Valar!" Juani whispered. "Why him?"

Thranduil had sat quietly, urging his trembling hands to stop shaking and his heart to stop pumping so fast. Suron Istari was mad, mad and obsessed- who could ever begin to guess what he may have been doing to Legolas-or an of the other boys!

It was the first time Thranduil had even thought about the other boy's involved, he had heard that one was only twelve-too young-what would follow if he took a fancy to them as well?

Thranduil checked a strangled sob, and led the police back to the door, when they had gone he slid down the door frame, crying, and he didn't care who saw.

He felt arms encircle him. "It's all right dad, the police are doing all they can." Juani soothed.

"I didn't do enough!" Thranduil sobbed. "Not enough!" he got to his feet and stumbled down the hall.

Juani looked after him, shocked-never had he seen his father this upset before-not even after the first time. Estil sighed from his place at the living-room door. "He's been like that since it happened."

"When was the last time he ate?" Juani questioned.

"I don't know, but the last time I actually saw him eating was yesterday morning." Estil replied.

"Right, I don't like the look of him, come help me make an early lunch and we'll make him eat it." Juani ordered.

Estil shrugged and followed his younger brother down to the kitchens-Maeta had given the servant the week off, whereby keeping the whole tragic tale in the family, and of course with Elrond Evenstar, long time family friend.

The two sons had a tough time getting their father to eat, in fact it was only the long standing practice of Thranduils strong will that saved Juani and Estil from certain death. The worked him until he gave in.

When they finally left him, Thranduil picked up the phone, dialing Elronds number. Elrond answered promptly.

"Hello?" the other asked, not bothering about his usual little speech.

"Elrond, it's Thranduil."

"What's the matter?!" Elrond asked, alarmed.

Thranduil sighed. "Everything."

Elrond frowned on the other end. "Did the police turn up anything?"

"Yes," Thranduil murmured, and before he could be asked told him all about it. The book.

"Oh God!" Elrond cried when he finished. "And he's got over a week."

"It depends on what type of week Elrond-it could be a normal week, a working week or a selling week.."

"A selling week?" Elrond questioned.

"Four days, the length of time to sell a company," Thranduil sighed. "Either way It's too long." he shook his head.

"Thran, do you want me to come over?" Elrond pressed gently.

"No it's all right-you have more to worry about than me..." he trailed off with another sigh.

Elrond smiled softly at the other end. "I'll come over and we can worry together-no arguments Thran my hearts not in my work today. I just had Pippin's parents on the phone, they're as worried as we are."

"Only they don't know the full story." Thranduil finished. "All right, I'll see you soon."

Elrond didn't like the sound of Thranduil's tone, he could never remember hearing him sound helpless, so scared, it was frightening to listen to. He shook his head as he got into his car, he had left Miss Sanders in charge while he had spent a good two hours with Thranduil.

But it had been cut short because of a phone call from Maeta, who had been working in his fathers office when the phone had rung, and a voice, like that of the man in the tape told him that they only had three more days to get the money.

Elrond had decided to go back to the school to make sure everything was allright-he had phoned his office where Miss Sanders would presumably have been working but got no answer, the same from her own office. At least that was excuse for going-he had knew that look on Thranduils face, he'd seen it enough in collage to know he should leave the man be-which he had done, mumbling his excuse as he went.

Juani and Estil sat up that night, long after their father had drifted into a fitful sleep, waiting for Maeta to come home, curious to know if his plan to get the money had worked.

At half one in the morning the front door opened and Meta crept in.

"Maeta did it work?!" Juani asked.

Maeta stopped, turned and frowned at them. "Shouldn't you be in bed?"

"Maeta," Juani persisted, "did it work?"

"Well I got some of the money?"

"How?" Estil enquired.

"Your not going to like it." Maeta warned.

"Maeta!" Juani pressed.

"I opened all our accounts, savings, everything-and I've negotiated a deal with a small company for some of our ware houses and a smaller company building that wasn't really functioning as well as it should-and I contacted some of our relatives, and they've agreed to donate as much as they can. So hopefully once I get the money it'll be enough."

Estil shook his head and smiled. "And you hope to do all this in three days." he asked.

"Yes." Maeta replied.

"But we'll have to pay it all back." Juani brought up.

"Hopefully we won't lose the money at all, I talked with the police, they say whenever the instructions come they'll set a trap so we won't lose anything."

"I hope the kidnappers are stupid enough to fall for it."Juani sighed.

Estil stood up. "I think they are. You see, we've been looking at it from the money angle, they want us to sell-yes-but Suron Istari!" he spat the name contemptuously. "Isn't really interested in the money or the company, he's obsessed, all he wants is Lee, and to bring the downfall of the man that put him in prison. It's not a case of the money-it's a case of how much pain he can inflict on us, that's what this is all about."

The brothers looked solemnly at each other-each becoming that bit more worried about their youngest sibling.

Three day's passed in agonizing slowness, everyone's nerves were on edge. Thranduil had locked himself for hours on end in his office, remembering the many things that had come to pass, wondering if there was anything that could compare to-or balance out-this hateful scene.

But nothing could.

Nothing would.

Thranduil let his head drop into his hands, it was the last day of waiting, soon he would get instructions and follow them and get his son back- hopefully...

With that thought he began to cry, dry racking sobs, that were heard by Estil, who was sitting quietly in the waiting room of the office, trying to read-but the words melded together on the page. Upon hearing the obvious grief of his father Estil sat the book aside and opened the office door.

"Dad?" he said softly, coming to stand beside him. He choked back a cry of his own when he saw the picture on the desk, it just made the darkness of this whole thing seem darker. It was Legolas, smiling one of his very rare, dazzling, smiles, looking contented, at peace...

"Will he ever look like that again?" Thranduil asked softly.

Estil bit his lower lip and squeezed his fathers shoulder. "Sure he will..." he trailed off, he didn't feel convinced.

Thranduil put a hand up to rest on Estil's. "I'm being selfish." he murmured.

Estil shook his head. "Nos-dad-I mean it's only natural... we're trying." he finished hurriedly, he could think of nothing to say, he wiped unshed tears from his eyes. "We're all worried, it's not your fault..."

Thranduil turned the chair and for the first time in twelve years gathered Estil into his arms, rocking him gently as he cried-for the first time since Legolas had went missing. "I'm sorry dad." he whispered.

"Shh... Don't be, it's not your fault, I've overlooked how you, Maeta and Juani feel in light of my own feelings, it's me who should be sorry." Thranduil soothed, stroking his son's light hair.

The phone blared shrilly from the desk. Thranduil reached over and picked it up, ut before he could speak Elrond said. "Thran, another tape, I've caled the police, come quickly!" it was spoken hurriedly, as if Elrond had been running, or was having a panic attack.

"We'll be there." Thranduil put down the phone. "Come on Estil." he started to say, but shook his head. "I have to go." he said instead.

Estil rconisgised the look in his fathers eyes. "I'm going." he said giving his father such a look of no nonsense that Thranduil nodded.

They arrived at the school just after the police. Elrond was down to meet tem, wringing his hands together uselessly, another car pulled up behind them-containing Pippin's parents.

"Mr. Evenstar,would you play the tape please." Officer Jones said when they were all seated or standing in the office.

Elrond nodded and pressed play.

Static crackled, to be replaced by a picture, much like what the first one looked like. Strider and Gimli stood in the background, Strider with his arm settled protectively around little Pippin's shoulders. The two older boys were glaring angrily at the man who was standing in the center of the screen.

'Where's Legolas?' was the thought that raced immediately through the minds of Thranduil, Estil and Elrond.

Almost as if in response to this thought the man moved, revealing Legolas, seated on a chair, his head hung low, his arms hugging his body as much as the handcuff's allowed.

"The money is to be delivered at noon on the seventh of September to Brown Bear park if you want to see any of these boys alive again." The man said gruffly catching some of Legolas's hair and pulling his head up.

Estil slipped a hand into his fathers.

The bruise on Legolas's cheek was as black as it had been in the first video, also a line of bruise's marred his jaw line. But it was his eyes that frightened Thranduil, much less everyone in the room, they were blank, hopeless. He was obviously supposed to say something, but couldn't. All of a sudden his blank eyes became wide and terrified, and trying to pull away from the man holding him, screamed hoarsely. "Daddy!"

The screen went blank.

Thranduil sat helplessly, watching the blank screen, seeing his son-over and over again-screaming for him-but he could do nothing... Nothing... Estil half listened to the police talking as he tried vainly to comfort his father. But his father did not wish to be comforted.

"They timed this very well," the officer shook his head, looking at his watch. "We have an hour fifteen minutes to get everything sorted,"

"Forty-five." Elrond corrected. "It's a half hour drive." He joined Estil in trying to revive his father from his trance.

"Right," the office affirmed, "may I use your phone?"

"Go ahead." Elrond nodded.

Pippin's parents sat to one side, his mother crying into his fathers shoulder, who was watching Thranduil with genuine sympathy in his gaze.

The police were five minutes on the phone before turning to Thranduil. "Mr. Greenleaf, would you please get the money here, we are to proceed as they wish."

Thranduil nodded, pulling his mobile out of his pocket and handing it to Estil. "Call Maeta and tell him to bring the money."

Estil took the phone and began to dail his brothers number, Thranduil motioned to the door. "But dad-" Estil tried.

"Estil, please just go."

"But-"

"Estil." his father warned.

Estil recoiled, hurt, turned and left the room, dailing the rest of his brothers number as he went. "Maeta!"

"Estil." Maeta answered.

"The... instructions came..." Estil said.

Maeta detected the hitch in his brothers voice. "What?"

"you have to bring the money over right now, the exchange is at noon." Estil said, ignoring the obvious question Maeta wanted answered.

"Estil-was it another video?"

Estil bit down hard on a sob, nodding his head, then saying "Yes." after realizing Maeta couldn't see him.

Maeta was rummaging around in the safe, pulling out to notes while balancing the mobile on his shoulder. "Dad?"

"I don't know he chased me like I was a little kid."

Maeta became concerned. "Is he talking to the police?"

"And Elrond and that Pippin kids parents." Estil sighed.

"I'll be there in at most twenty minutes." Maeta said, about to hang up.

"Don't!" Estil panicked.

"Estil, what's wrong?" Maeta asked, more concerned than ever.

Estil swallowed. "It's allright... I... I'll call Juani."

"You do that." Maeta said. "I'll be there as soon as I can."

"OK." Maeta hung up, leaving Estil alone. Estil put the phone on the floor beside him-he didn't call Juani, he couldn't-it was running thought his head again and again-the eyes, the scream.

He wanted to scream himself.  
Thranduil listened carefully to the officers plan, while regretting telling Estil to leave, he hadn't meant to push him away. Above the scream that was echoing in his head he could distinctly hear crying, not Mrs Tooks crying, a quieter more familiar sounding type. Excusing himself he opened the door  
to the corridor, it had been

at least twenty minutes from he had sent Estil to call Maeta, and he was  
becoming concerned about him also. He looked down the corridor, and saw Maeta, sitting on the floor beside Estil, who was shaking badly. Cursing  
himself mentally Thranduil went to them, Estil had always been an emotional child. Nethier noticed him as he approached. "-He was just... Oh  
God Maeta! Why the hell'd it have to be us!?"

Maeta glanced up and saw their father, and offered a small smile, indicating the small bag of money. He saw his fathers worried look towards  
Estil.

"He's fine." he mouthed.

Thranduil nodded, picked up the bag and going back into the office.

"Here's the money." he set the bag, and for the first time wondered where it had come from, he knew for a fact that he had to sign the papers before  
handing the company over.

"Good," said the officer, "shall we proceed?"

"Yes." Thranduil nodded.

"Are you sure your up to this Thran?" Elrond asked.

"Yes Elrond." Thranduil replied, setting his jaw grimly.

Elrond sighed. "Thran." he whispered softly, before following him out of the room. Thranduil had on a tough face, but underneath it Elrond knew he was tearing himself apart, that he was worried about his whole family, not  
just Legolas. Maeta and Estil were waiting at the door for them, it was  
plain to be seen that Estil had been crying. Elrond smiled at him sympatric, Estil was a lot like his mother, he felt things very keenly,  
bottled them up inside until it just overflowed.

Estil offered a small smile back before stepping in behind his father and brother. When they reached the car Thranduil turned to his sons and said.  
"Stay here." in a commanding tone.

"But-" Estil began.

Maeta cut him short. "Ok dad, call us when you get him."

Thranduil nodded gratefully, giving both a quick hug before getting into the car. He rolled down the tinted window. "Maeta, where did you get the  
money?"

Maeta smiled guiltily. "You don't want to know."

"You didn't sell the company as I asked you to."

"No dad, I didn't. Now hurry up and go get Lee." Maeta prodded.

Thranduil sighed, signalling the policeman, who had taken over as his  
drier, to move out. Elronds small car followed closely, with Mr and Mrs  
Took in the back seat.

They arrived at Brown Bear park at five minutes to midday, in a clearing far away from the tourist car parks was a small brown van, with no number  
plate. Two masked men leaned against the doors waiting for them. The  
policeman stopped the car. Thranduil got out, the money in a suitcase under his arm. He strode boldly over to the men. "Here's the money,let the  
boys go."

"Show us." the men said together.

Thranduil opened the case to show them. "Let them go." he grated.

The men shrugged, opened the back of the van and pulled out Strider, Gimli  
and Pippin.

"Where's my son?" Thranduil asked angrilly.

The bigger man smiled under his mask. "You'll get him when we get out of the country, you will receive instructions in a few days time to tell you  
where to find him."

Thranduil began to lose his temper, if it hadn't been for Elrond catching  
hold of his arm he would have throttled the man right there. The men laughed, took the money, got into the van and drove off. Little known to the kidnappers they were being followed by the park rangers, who were in  
turn being followed by a very pissed off and frightened father. In the clearing the Took's hugged their little son close, crying all the while.  
Elrond led Strider and Gimli over to the little car, 

sitting them inside, he looked worridly after Thranduils car, shaking his head he got into the front of the car. "We should take the boys for a check  
up at the hospital." he called to Pippins parents, who nodded, getting  
into the car. Elrond prayed for Thranduils sake that Legolas was still  
alive.

Thranduil sat angrily half out of his car, waiting for the police, who had disappeared down the mine shaft after the kidnappers. He needed to be down  
there, it would frighten Legolas if all these men burst in on him  
suddenly. Finally he had become fed up of waiting, wanting to put his inital fear that Legolas was dead to rest, he entered the mine shaft. The  
rangers and police were surprised to see him and looked it, they were  
trying to make the men tell them where Legolas was.

"May I?" Thranduil asked.

The police man nodded, he was having no luck. Without the mask the  
kidnapper looked frightened as Thranduil approached. "I have only one question to ask-where the fuck are you son's of bitches hiding my son?!"

"In there." the man said, cowering back.

A ranger picked up a set of keys and tried them on the heavy steel door, eventually getting it open. It was pitch black inside the room. The ranger found the light and switched it on. Inside, somewhere to the back, came a  
whimper. An officer took the keys from the ranger and went inside,  
approaching the boy at the back, slowly so as not to frighten him.  
Thranduil was pushing forward to the room.

"Mr. Greenleaf, if you would-" a police man said, holding him back.

"Daddy!" Legolas screamed from inside. Thranduil roughly pushed the man aside and stormed into the room. The police man had come back over to the  
door. Thranduil snatched the keys off him.

"Please wait outside." he said politely." The man nodded and left, standing  
at the door with the others.

Legolas had curled himself into a ball in the furthest corner from the  
door. His hand (still handcuffed) wrapped about his knee's. From  
the handcuffs a chain was attached, which was bolted into the wall.

"Daddy, daddy, daddy, daddy, daddy..." Legolas repeated, over and over  
again.

Thranduil was heartbroken.

"Lee." he whispered softly.

Hazel eyes were raised, that was a voice he had not heard in a long time.  
"Daddy?" he whispered back, half expecting to get hit.

Thranduil's eyes filled with tears. "Yes Lee, it's me, daddy."

Legolas worried his lower lip for a moment, before suddenly launching himself at his father. Thranduil hugged him tightly, before slowly pushing him away. Legolas obviously didn't want to let go, he clung more tightly to  
Thranduil. "shh, Lee, it's alright, I'm just going to take off these  
chains, and we can go home, what do you say to that?"

Legolas nodded into his fathers shoulder, allowing himself to be pushed back. Thranduil unclipped the chain, it clattered to the floor. Legolas's  
eyes widened fearfully and he crouched back. Thranduil cursed.

"It's OK Lee, It's all right." he soothed. "Give me your hands and we'll  
get those cuffs off you."

Legolas continued to look fearful, but stretched out his arms. Thranduil unlocked the cuffs, and too them off his son, putting them carefully on the  
ground, he winched at the sight of his son's cut and bloody wrists. Thranduil got to his feet, Legolas watched him carefully. "Lee, can I carry  
you to the car?" Legolas glanced over to the door, but by then there was no one there, the rangers and police ha disappeared. Legolas swallowed and nodded. Thranduil bent and carefully lifted him up, feeling Legolas burrow his head into his shoulder. Thranduil walked quickly out into the main room. A young officer stood out side an open door, he had thrown up. Inside cameras flashed, in his arms, Legolas let out a small whimper, clinging tightly to his fathers shirt. Thranduil looked disgustedly at the room, he knew what had gone on in there.

He whisked his child outside and to the car, only to encounter a problem, how was he to get into the vehicle?

"May I help?" the young officer from inside asked.

Legolas cringed back away from him. Thranduil tightened his hold reassured. "You wouldn't open the door for me?"

The young man smiled and did so. "If you like I'll drive you to the hospital."

"Would you?" Thranduil had finally gotten himself inside. The officer smiled again, closed the door softly and proceeded to get in the drivers seat, started up the engine, and with a wave to another officer he proceeded to drive them to the hospital.

Thranduil finally sighed in relief, and stroked his son's hair, sending him into, if fitful, the most peaceful sleep he had had in days.

THE END


End file.
